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The creative writing part of an exam can be a favorite section for some students, while most students can get petrified by it. Most students struggle because they have never been indulged in any creative writing tasks from a young age. These sections in exams put them on the spot and they have absolutely no idea from where to begin.
The creative writing process is all about your imagination. If you can easily imagine different scenarios without thinking twice, you’re good to go for your exam. But, those used to being told what to do find it hard to think out of the box.
Two types of creative thinking questions are usually included in GCSE exams.
Most of the time, the instructions are completely vague and open-ended. It gives a broad playground for students to take their stories wherever they want them to be instead of thinking about being restrictive about information. The picture descriptions can also be different if you add a poetic license to it.
But what if you find it hard to weave a story from scratch? If you do not know how to free-write and create engaging stories, we have discussed some proven tips for sharpening your creative writing skills.
Many students struggle with writing fictional stories. Here are some of the difficulties students face while writing. You can work on these things actively to improve your skills.
Follow these proven tips to improve the creative writing part of your GCSE exam:
Everyone would have suggested this one tip to you. Reading is the heart of writing well. The more you read, the more you become fluent in your writing.
If you are a teenager, start with novels. Developing the habit of reading takes time, and you need to be consistent in that. Don't jump to classicals in the beginning. Start with more engaging and exciting stories like Pride and Prejudice or The Notebook. These stories will engross you fully in thinking about them. While reading, ask yourself questions like the writing strategy of the author, how he plotted a certain scene, what the internal conflicts of this character are, etc.
Relevant: Advantages of Reading Newspapers
Do not use bland and basic words while writing a story. Use words that will entice the reader, and most importantly your examiner. Replace very basic words with their fancy synonyms. For instance, here are two sentences:
Adam killed the dog.
How can you transform it into something more engaging?
Exasperated Adam went out to kill the innocent and petrified dog.
Which one’s more interesting? The one with fancy words. One pro tip is to use adjectives and adverbs in the sentence to engross your reader more. Like stunning, agreeable, clumsy, gigantic, angrily, gently etc. These words add more depth and meaning to your sentences.
Instead of using every punctuation mark in the book, let’s move forward with a simple approach. You need to completely understand the basic 5 punctuation marks and follow them correctly.
1) Full stops: They are used at the end of every sentence.
2) Commas: Commas are used in complex sentences with two independent clauses or lists.
3) Apostrophes: They are used for contractions e.g. can’t/shouldn’t or to indicate possession e.g. Annie’s shoes.
4) Speech marks: They are used for direct speech. For example, the doctor screamed, “Look at the patient!”
5) Ellipsis: These are three dots commonly used to add a cliffhanger in stories e.g. the children looked over the squeaky door…
After vocabulary, the sentence structure will show your examiner how well you can write. Even if you use too many fancy words in your story, it won’t be appealing because of the lack of a proper structure.
Examiners prefer you write complex sentences, especially for creative writing. It showcases the student’s knowledge and writing prowess.
We will discuss the four primary sentence structure types you should know before writing.
1) Minor: These sentences lack a subject and are often used to create drama or emphasise a point e.g. Anna here. No pain, no gain. Martha is dead.
2) Simple: Simple sentences have a subject and an ongoing action or predicate. For example, Marley opened the door.
3) Compound: Two simple sentences connected together form a compound sentence. For example, Marley opened the door while I was eating breakfast.
4) Complex: Complex sentences contain two clauses, dependent and independent. For example, Marley opened the door while I was eating breakfast, to tease me.
Consistent practice is the key to having good writing skills. You can not expect yourself to write after a long period of inactivity. Many writers face writer’s block and they struggle to start again. It is important to practice it daily even if you feel you’re writing below average.
You can start with short stories, poems or even journal entries. It does not always have to be a proper story. Any short piece will work considering you are consistent with your practice. It will keep the flow of your creativity.
Further Read: Can Literary Devices Elevate Your Writing? If Yes, Then How?
Editing and rewriting is an important aspect of writing. Never submit anything without first giving yourself time to revise and proofread it. Watch for typical faults such as misspellings, typos, and punctuation issues.
Think about the logical progression of your writing and if there is room for improvement in language and style. Remove any potential mistakes and improve the flow by adding transitions. But don't add too many transitional words that stuff your story and make it unappealing.
While writing an engaging story, you need to follow the five-senses rule. Instead of describing to the readers what is happening, show them. Evoke the five senses of listening, reading, touching, smelling, and speaking. Your words should evoke all these senses in your readers, making them feel they are actually living it.
For instance, instead of saying someone is tall, say she towered above me like a skyscraper. Instead of writing bland scenes, arouse the senses of the reader in the following way.
As I step barefoot onto the cool, dewy grass, the sensation of soft blades tickling my skin sends a shiver of delight down my spine, connecting me to the natural world around me. With each breath, I taste the freshness of the morning air, crisp and invigorating, like a sip of pure vitality.
Seeking feedback is important while you are writing a fictional story. Constructive criticism helps you navigate your shortcomings and strengths as you write.
Let different people, including your friends and mentors, read your story. Everyone will have a different perspective to offer which will add to your creativity and give you new ideas.
While writing fiction, your story needs to have three main points. An engaging opening, a complete story arc, and a convincing end.
In a creative story, the opening should be extremely engaging. Most readers will decide whether to read the story or not based on its first paragraph. It should act as a hook for the readers and grab their attention.
The first paragraph will set the tone for your story. For instance, in Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen opens the story with the following passage:
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.
With these hooks, the reader is immediately drawn in. Austen piques our interest by providing just the right amount of background information to set the scene, without overwhelming us with facts.
There is a recognizable pattern in most fictional and nonfictional stories. They create a thread that completely hooks the reader into reading the whole story in no time. Usually, a story is divided into five stages.
Let’s take an example of a famous story “Snow White” and break it down into its 5 parts.
Exposition - The story starts with the introduction of Snow White, a stunning princess whom the cruel Queen, her envious stepmother, despises. The Queen becomes enraged when she discovers Snow White is the prettiest of them through her magic mirror.
Rising action - Snow White will be killed by a huntsman the Queen commands to lead her into the forest. The hunter, however, is unable to resist and lets her go. Snow White seeks safety in the woodland and meets the seven dwarfs, who extend their invitation for her to stay.
Climax - Once the queen discovers Snow White is alive, she dresses as a peddler and gives Snow White a poisoned apple. After Snow White eats it, she goes into a deep slumber, which the dwarves mistake for her death.
Falling action - Snow White is kept in a state of suspended animation by the dwarfs after they place her in a glass coffin. Meanwhile, a prince discovers Snow White and is enchanted by her beauty. He breaks the spell by meeting her.
Resolution - When Snow White wakes up, the prince confesses his love to her. After witnessing their wedding and being punished for her immorality, the evil Queen meets her end. The prince and Snow White live happily ever after.
Try to wrap up your story grippingly, ensuring all the loose ends are tied. Get the plot sorted out so the reader is happy with how it concludes.
Keep in mind that while cliffhangers are great for novel endings, they might not be the best choice for a short story's satisfying conclusion!
If you are going to take your GCSE’s, these tips will help you with the creative writing section. While it may look scary at first, writing is an easy task that requires a lot of practice. If you consistently follow the tips above, you can get an A* in your GCSE English exam.
Furthermore, MTS provides expert help with the GCSE English curriculum. The private tutoring company offers expert advice and sessions to help you achieve your desired score. You can book a free trial lesson to start learning!
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